Wellbeing advice and support

Student Counselling Service

Liverpool Hope provides a confidential, professional student counselling service to help you with any personal issues that may be affecting your studies, relationships, or general feelings of wellbeing. The team have lots of experience of supporting students so do contact us if you need to talk about any issues.

To access the service, please contact Student Life and a member of the team will assist you.

T: 0151 291 3427
E: studentlife@hope.ac.uk

Worried about a fellow student?

If you notice any changes in a friend or fellow student's manner, behaviour, or appearance that gives you cause for concern, please contact us. We can offer them (and you if you need it) the assistance and support that will help.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

University life can be tough and it is not uncommon for some students to experience challenges with their mental wellbeing during their studies. Your mental health affects how you think and feel and how you deal with everyday life. However, despite it affecting everybody and being a normal part of life, people are often reluctant to talk about their mental health.

Help is available

Liverpool Hope provides a confidential, professional mental health and well-being service to assist and advise students who are experiencing challenges with their mental health which may be affecting their studies, engagement with wider student life, or general feeling of personal well-being.  This help is available to all students who feel that they would benefit from some support to help better deal with any aspect of life while at university.

If you want to find out more about the service or feel you need an initial discussion regarding support, our Student Engagement Officers are available each day for you to have a chat with. The Officers are recent graduates so if you feel more comfortable chatting to them first then you can contact them at studentengagement@hope.ac.uk.

If you have any further questions, or you wish to access the service, please contact Student Life and a member of the team will assist you.

T: 0151 291 3427
E: studentlife@hope.ac.uk

Information for care leavers and care experienced students

We aim to support care leavers and care experienced students to ensure that you make the most of your time here with us. If you were looked after by a local authority during your childhood, you may be eligible for additional support from the University.

What is the difference between a care leaver and care experienced?

Care leavers are young people aged 16-25 years old who have spent a minimum of 13 weeks in Local Authority care since the age of 14 and were in care on or after their 16th birthday. These young people are statutorily entitled to some ongoing help and support from the local authority after they leave care.

The term 'care experienced' refers to anyone who has been in care at any stage of their life, no matter how short a period.

If you are unsure whether you qualify as a care leaver or not, the charity Coram Voice has an online guide that can help you find out what support you may be entitled to from your local authority. 

Pastoral support

We understand that not all people leaving the care system will identify as a ‘care leaver’, and we realise that your experience of being in care is unique - no two students are the same or in the same situation. Sometimes, it helps just to check in with someone to make sure you’re getting the support you need, whether that’s financially, practically, or with your course. If there’s any part of University life or your individual circumstances that you’d like to talk through, please get in touch.

To ensure you have the best possible student experience, we can offer you:

• A supportive link between the University, you, and your local authority
• Advice on the various services and support available to you whilst at university
• A supportive link between you and your Course Tutors/faculty staff
• Advice regarding any financial help and guidance available to you during your studies
• Help in securing access to university accommodation for 365 days of the year while at university
• Someone just to talk to when you need it

Financial support

Qualifying UK care leaver students studying a full-time Undergraduate degree programme at Liverpool Hope can apply for the Hope Care Leavers Bursary.

Accessing support

If you are a current student and would like to discuss your situation further, or if you’re thinking about coming to study at Liverpool Hope, please contact Andee Moorcroft, the Wellbeing Officer and also the main contact for care experienced students. He will be happy to answer any questions and discuss any issues you have. 

T: 0151 291 3827
E: moorcra@hope.ac.uk

There is also a specialist Welfare Benefits Adviser based within the Students Union who can ensure you are receiving any financial support to which you are entitled whilst at the university.

T: 0151 291 3708
E: suadvice@hope.ac.uk

Social Workers

Please contact Student Life on studentlife@hope.ac.uk for information and advice on helping/advising young people who wish to apply to university.

Useful Information

The Care Leavers' Association - A user-led charity run by care leavers for care leavers.

The EaCES Handbook - a student-friendly guide summarising all there is to know about navigating higher education as a care experienced student.

Coram Voice - An independent advocacy organisation for young people.

Information for estranged students

Estranged students are those studying without the support and approval of their parents and often the wider family network. Students in this position often have no contact at all with their family, have removed themselves from a dysfunctional situation or have been disowned. This may have happened before they chose to come to university or at any time throughout the course of their study.

Important information when applying for student funding

If you are estranged from your family, you can apply to Student Finance England/Wales and Northern Ireland as an ‘independent student’. This means that your parents’ income will not be considered when you are being assessed for the means-tested elements of the application. Instead, it is likely that only your personal household income will be considered. 

The EaCES Handbook (Estranged and Care Experienced Student) has a Student Finance section which contains some useful guidance and tips to help ease the burden and help you navigate student finance as an estranged student.

Pastoral support

To ensure you have the best possible student experience, we can offer you:

• Advice on the various services and support available to you whilst at university
• A supportive link between you and your Course Tutors/faculty staff
• Advice regarding any financial help and guidance available to you during your studies
• Help in securing access to university accommodation for 365 days of the year while at university
• Someone just to talk to when you need it

Accessing support

If you are a current student and would like to discuss your situation further, or if you’re thinking about coming to study at Liverpool Hope, please contact Andee Moorcroft, the Wellbeing Officer and also the main contact for estranged students. He will be happy to answer any questions and discuss any issues you have. 

T: 0151 291 3827
E: moorcra@hope.ac.uk

There is also a specialist Welfare Benefits Adviser based within the Students Union who can ensure you are receiving any financial support to which you are entitled whilst at the university.

T: 0151 291 3708
E: suadvice@hope.ac.uk

Useful Information

The EaCES Handbook - a student-friendly guide summarising all there is to know about navigating higher education as an estranged student.

Brightside have produced some useful information for students who are estranged from their family and applying for student finance.

Information for young adult carers

We understand that choosing to come to university can be a big decision for any prospective student, and for those who have caring responsibilities at home, this can make the decision even harder. As part of our support network, we have a dedicated member of staff who understands that from time to time students may require some additional support at university due to the additional pressures placed upon them in their caring role. 

What is a young adult carer?

A young adult carer is a young person aged between 14–25 who cares, unpaid, for a family member or friend with an illness or disability, mental health condition or addiction, who ordinarily would not be able to cope without their support.

Pastoral support

To ensure you have the best possible student experience, we can offer you:

• a supportive link between you and your Course Tutors/faculty staff
• advice on the various services and support available to you whilst at university
• advice regarding any financial help and guidance available to you during your studies
• someone to talk to when you need it.

Accessing support

If you are a current student and would like to discuss your situation further, or if you’re thinking about coming to study at Liverpool Hope, please contact Andee Moorcroft, the Wellbeing Officer and also the main contact for young adult carers. He will be happy to answer any questions and discuss any issues you have. 

T: 0151 291 3827
E: moorcra@hope.ac.uk

There is also a specialist Welfare Benefits Adviser based within the Students Union who can ensure you are receiving any financial support to which you are entitled whilst at the university.

T: 0151 291 3708
E: suadvice@hope.ac.uk

Useful Information

Barnardo’s Young Adult Carers Service - Offering support to young carers living in Liverpool.

Sefton Carers Centre - Young Adult Carers Service offering support to young carers living in the Sefton area.

Carers Trust is a charity who works to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of a caring role. This website can be used to find services within your local area which offer support and guidance to carers based in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Carers Space offers a supportive online forum which adult carers over the age of 25 can access.

FREE, 24/7 online wellbeing support with Togetherall

Togetherall is a FREE, safe, online community where people support each other anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing.

Joining Togetherall provides something that has always been important for good mental health and wellbeing: a community for shared experiences and mutual support. The platform promotes a sense of belonging and connection through community and is accessible anywhere, anytime, 24/7.

Togetherall is available to all Hope students, and it's FREE to use! Sign up today at Togetherall.com, using your university email address.

GP Registration, Medical & Dental Information

Local GP Practices

We strongly advise all students to register with a local doctor (GP) or Medical Practice whilst they are studying at Liverpool Hope.

The University has good working relations with a number of local GP surgeries. If you are a residential student then we would recommend you register with the following practices below. (When registering, please make sure you include your flat number and hall block).

Islington House Medical Centre - Creative Campus (Gerard Manley Hopkins). Register here

Valley Medical Centre - Newman, Wesley and Teresa  Halls. Register here

Rutherford Medical Centre - Kitty Wilkinson, Oscar Romero, Josephine Bakhita, Catherine Booth, St Julie’s, and Josephine Butler Halls. Register here 

Urgent Treatment Centres and Walk-In Centres

There are a number of urgent treatment centres (UTCs) and walk-in centres (WICs) across Merseyside. If you need same day urgent care, please contact www.111.nhs.uk or call 111. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days per week and they’ll know the best service for your treatment need.

Further information about urgent treatment centres and walk-in centres.

Prescription Charges

The prescription charge in England is £9.90. A PPC costs: £32.05 for 3 months. £114.50 for 12 months. Further information about Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPC).

Other NHS Services

Details of other local GPs, dentists, and other NHS services are available on the NHS website.